Florida State men's basketball was back at home on a Tuesday night showdown against UT Martin. The Seminoles were trying to bounce back from a tough 78-76 loss to arch-rival Florida Gators.
Florida State wasn't given much of a chance to succeed against Florida, who were the defending national champions, on the road. However, head basketball coach Luke Loucks battled until the end. Guard Robert McCray V kept them in the contest.
Against UT Martin, it was much of the same with McCray V, as he recorded 16 points with 4-of-8 from three-point range. The Seminoles cruised to an 87-73 victory and left the fans in the Tucker Center happy that Florida State got in the win column again.
UNDERRATED ASPECT OF THE GAME
Florida State was only up by a score of 43-40 at halftime, so it wasn't an easy one in retrospect. However, forward Alex Steen was someone that stood out to me with 13 points and 7 rebounds. He looks to be a player that brings the energy in the front court.
It was good to see guard CJ Miles back on track with 17 points (game-high in points for the Seminoles) and 3-of-6 from three point range. They will need multiple scorers when it comes down to conference play.
UT Martin forward Andrija Bukumirovic finished the game with 22 points and 12 rebounds. He was a player that made the contest more interesting than what it was. This shouldn't be a surprise that Bukumirovic had a stellar performance, as he averages 20 points per game through four games this year.
Meanwhile, it was great to see former head basketball coach Leonard Hamilton honored at halftime, especially since he used to play for UT Martin. It was a full circle moment for Coach Hamilton that I know he appreciated.
For their next matchup, the Seminoles will take on Georgia Southern at home on Friday, November 21st at 6:00 PM EST on the ACC Network Extra.
(Stats found via ESPN Stats and Information)